OK. Now to the topic at hand. My hatred of laundry. It’s deep. And constant. And lingering. All that stuff.

I despise it. The whole putting it in the washer thing – I’m cool with that. I don’t even mind putting it in the dryer. It’s all steps after that one that I can’t stand.

The dryer always always always takes longer than the washer, so when I’m forced in the mood to do laundry, (which is RARE), my mojo gets all backed up. You know, plenty of laundry in piles, laundry done in the washer, and the whole process gets all wacked because the clothes won’t dry.

Lately we’ve noticed it’s taken even longer than usual to dry our clothes. It was a gradual process. Or maybe it wasn’t – I only do laundry maybe once a month, so maybe it happened last month. Or a few months ago. I wouldn’t know.

Oh yeah, and hubby does his own laundry. Yes, it’s true. No, you cannot have him. He’s MINE. :)

So anyhoo, last week the dryer was taking approximately THREE hours to dry one load. Hmmm…I’m no laundry expert, but that just sounds like a wee bit too long, yes?

So hubs and I found a nifty set of cleaning contraptions to clean out the vent:

This is not the one we got, but it’s similar. We were psyched at the thought of getting a load of laundry completed within a 24 hour period…so we got home and slid out the dryer, disconnected the vent and got to work:

OK. Well, my handsome hubby got to work. I stood back and took pictures. You’ll notice how I paint. :) Shhhh…

We took that vent cleaning thingamabob and snaked it through the vent (ours is a LONG one that goes up through the garage, into the attic, then outside) as far as we could get it.

TONS of lint came out. Piles. Poofs of it. We were giddy! Feeling extra smart and sassy, we went outside and did the same thing from the vent on the side of the house. More poofs of lint.

We went back inside, did the same to the vent going into the dryer (not too far in, but enough) and out came more piles o lint.

Awesome! We put everything back together and dare I say, I was excited to do a load of laundry? I think I was – I’m not familiar with that emotion when it comes to the washing of clothes, so who knows.

I stopped the dryer after about 40 minutes and the clothes were still soaking wet. DRATS! Curses! Shakes fists in the air!

So. Hopefully in the next month or so (it better be soon cause we are running out of socks), we are shopping for one of these:

OK, I think that’s a picture of the washer. Whatever.

(I’m going to tell you a secret so don’t tell anyone. My leeetle plan is to maybe mention something or other about just “going ahead” with a matching washer “while we’re there” and we “might as well” since we’re “having them delivered anyway” – you know. Just a little hint. There’s no way he’ll see through that.)

Anyhoo, in my grand scheme of laundry plans, the laundry room won’t even stay where it is anyway. But in the meantime, I’m thinking a bright red and fun washer and dryer would totally make the whole process way more fun and exciting.

Or a cool blue one would work too:

I’m not picky. I’ll take anything that dries clothing. Is that too much to ask? :)

Our washer and dryer set is more than six years old – is that as long as they last anymore? Any other ideas for the dryer until we can get a shiny new one? (By the way, the dryer is warm inside, the clothes are warm, but not drying.)

Anyone out there have a front loader washer and dryer? Love it? Hate it? (Is that even possible?) Do I need the storage jobbies underneath? Is there a brand you love? Can you find a magic pill I can take so that I enjoy laundry?

Or is a dryer that works the key? We shall see!

By the way – the dryer going kaput one of many mini disasters around here within the past three weeks. First there was the $3,000 bill to get my car fixed. (Thankfully a third of that was covered by warranty and the other third is just going to have to wait.)

Second, the grass in our whole front yard died due to a weird mishap. ALL of it. Crispy. I guess it didn’t die all of the way, because what will probably be a $200 water bill later, it’s coming back, slowly but surely.

The third was this lovely sight we woke up to one morning:

The storm blew the umbrella around and it shattered the table. Awesome!!

Wooee let’s just add it to the list! By the way, in the scheme of life, I know these are minor. It’s just been extra interesting around here lately. :)

I hate laundry too! I have been researching front loaders and all of my peeps that have them say that they are bad about mildew. (the washers) I have decided to go with a huge top loading washer to avoid the mildew problem. Good luck!

ah, laundry! I spent half of my year in Ireland and we've got a ridicuous washer/"dryer" in our kitchen there that fits maybe 2 bath towels. The "dryer" setting doesn't vent out so all it does is cook your clothes and they never come out dry. So everyone (because for some reason these are a common thing over there) has drying racks sitting in their dining areas constantly full of wet clothes! Washing a set of sheets? I've got them draped between chairs to dry them.Anyway, in Canada I've got amazing front loaders that take a tiny amount of water and detergent, will wash almost all my laundry in ONE load and will dry on Medium setting in 40 minutes!! Heaven!: ) fingers crossed you end up with a lovely new set!

We got a front load washer a couple of years ago. I love, love, love it! If (I mean when) you get the washer though, just remember to leave the door partially open or it will get mildewy inside. Also, you so don't need the storage stands. We didn't get them. If you feel like you want them, as handy as you are you could probably build one you like better for a fraction of the price! You are awesome! Sorry about your bad luck latley, its a bummer when life doesn't seem to want to stop handing you those lemmons!

you're grass might just be dormant. if it doesn't get enough water, it shuts its self down so it will survive. growing up, when we'd have drought, we'd intentionally not water to make our lawn go dormant, it always came back.

btw: I have had front loaders for over 10 years and never had a mildew problem. I wash mostly using cold but will occasionally do a load of white in hot. I always leave the door open when I'm done to allow the inside to dry and have never had a speck of mildew or any kind of smell. The money you'll save in water/detergent and the wear and tear on your clothes is well worth looking into them. : )

My experience with front load washer and dryers was that they suck.That being said, it may have just been the brand. We tried LG. It sucked at washing, and it didn't dry at all!!!!So, we went with a standard Whirlpool top load washer and regular dryer...and for the first 5 years I was amazingly pleased. Now my dryer is doing what yours is doing. Hmm....

Front loaders are DEFINITELY the way to go. You can wash (and dry) almost twice as much in them. Also, they're better for your clothes. The washer doesn't have that agitator thing in there, which helps your clothes last longer. Also, you can wash hand-washable and delicate items in there, which saves a lot of money at the cleaners. The storage bins are a waste, in my opinion, but some people like them. To me, they're just another place to collect dirt and dust, and who wants that??

Can't stand laundry either (said as there are enormous piles in the laundry room waiting for me - happens when you have 5 kids that like to change their clothes!) - a new set of machines would be a dream as would a laundry room that is only that, a laundry room. As for the non-heating thing, just had that happen recently. Cleaned out the ducts as well but hubs also took the dryer apart as lint can build up inside too. Made a huge difference and started heating well - too well for what we were used to! I would go for the red set - but that is just me!

You probably need to clean the lint filter in your dryer. I had a repair man tell me that an invisible barrier can build up on them and showed me (with my lint collector) that it will hold water! Just scrub it with an old toothbrush under running water. Good luck getting your matching set. My washer and dryer are still going strong (6 years old this fall), but I almost wish they'd die so I could get fancy new ones too!

Sheesh. You have had some mishaps around your house lately. A dryer should definitely last longer than 6 years... like 15 years or so. When my mom's dryer went out, she called a repair guy and he told her that dryers are one of the easiest things to fix and people normally don't fix them. They buy a new one. You might be able to get away with getting it fixed. I won't mention that to your husband though. Hehe. I'd love to get a new dryer like you've shown here.

The lint cleaning kit saved my drier. Sorry it didn't work for yours. Someone told me one time to check the fuse/circuit. That could keep it from heating. Another time I was saved from getting a new drier, the basement had flooded and the vent hose was full of water. Hence, very, very, very long drying time. I must be the queen of cheap drier fixes.But I think the red set is real cute.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my front loading washer/dryer! You can fit a ton of stuff in there (which equals less loads!) Also less water, less detergent. I agree with the other commenter - I leave my washer door open overnight so I don't get mildew (hasn't happened to me, but I know it has to others who live in wetter climates). I talked to a guy who did washer/dryer repairs before we bought ours and he said to be sure we bought the extended warranty, because the only problems he ever worked on with those type are computer problems, which can get very pricey for repairs. We've had ours two years and no issues (LG brand).

You certainly need a new drier. I have the Kenmore front loader washer and drier (4 years old now) and it can dry a load in 30 minutes!! AWESOME, so I never actually can have the excuse of a backup on laundry waiting on the dryer....I just hate folding and putting it away. Usually you can get a better price deal if you buy both the washer and dryer together, maybe that will convince the hubby instead of paying full price for a new washer in a few years?

You poor thing!! It certainly is a bummer when it seems like everything happens at once!! One of friends had her fridge, dryer, diswasher and t.v. all go out within a few days of eachother! YIKES!! I told her remember this cause your going to purchase new ones and about 5 years from now it's going to happen again! ;)

My dryer is about 7 years old and going strong - every time it's started to act squirrely, a good lint cleaning has fixed it. On the other hand, I wore out a washer bought the same day over a year ago. Got a scratch and dent (actually just a dent that I couldn't see until my FIL pointed it out) top-loader WITHOUT the center agitator (holds EVERYTHING and then some like a front-loader) and I LOVE IT. It's HE too. The only thing I would change about it is to get the one with the clear plastic in the lid so that I could watch, but that's just for fun and so not worth paying regular price. If I were going front-loader, I would go with the bases, just to save my back, but I do a LOT of laundry. I wish I had a base for my regular dryer. My dryer is often done at the same time or even before my washer.

Sorry about all of your recent problems. I have times like that as well! As to your dryer, I recently had the same type of problem. My vent comes out of the top of the dryer. Over the years, small amounts of lint had fallen down the vent chute and built up, causing the dryer to quit heating. It required taking the back off of the dryer to clean out the built-up lint.

We recently bought new Bose front loading washer and dryer when we moved into our new home last year - the previous owners took theirs which was fine by me, and we left ours as a part of our house sell. We got plain white 'cause the color ones cost more. I would have loved a bright cheery color, but not enough to pay for it. I also did not splurge for the under carriage storage - again, costly. My back has not broken from having to bend over for the 15 seconds it takes to load the clothes from washer to dryer. Now the bonus -- the dryer actually dries faster than the wash washes!! The washer is incredibly water efficient as well.

As for the broken glass on the table - if it's in the budget switch to a table sans-glass. It will likely happen again. We have a cute white metal table I got at Target 3 years ago - but I have recently seen that Crate and Barrel is selling a version almost identical to my Target one. The wind has blown this table over several times (it is windy in my neck of Colorado) and all I have to do is upright it again

Anyway, don't even know if you'll see this but thought I'd offer my 2c - worth what ya paid for it! ;-)

so i can fully relate to hating laundry (i say this as i just threw another load of laundry in the washing machine--i finally unpacked all the clothing from our move 3 months ago & it smells like garage :D)...i say get a set your gona love...and if ur in the majorly splurging mood u should look into a combo wash/dry unit...im sure its pricey but might be worth it

I was lucky enough to get the cherry-red LG set recently. LOVE IT! Love it so much I sit in front of it and smile! The first time my daughter and I did a load, we heard music and couldn't figure out where it was coming from. Get this....IT SINGS TO YOU WHEN THE LOAD IS FINISHED! A cute little "I'll make you love laundry" song! Got the drawers underneath and I am grateful I did...storage and height and just love!

My sister has the front loader and really dislikes it and says the storage is a waste of space. I would say scrub you lint dryer, they look ok but are clogged, apparently we are suppose to wash them monthly, I didn't know that! Also I don't know if you have a gas dryer but we had our converted, not much can go wrong with a gas dryer. And it saved about 60.00 off of our electric bill each month.Your dryer should last more than 6 years. I don't know what to tell you about disliking laundry, pretend your doing your favorite celebrities laundry??? :P

I have a dryer with the storage underneath. I'm glad I got that kind, because it's easier to load with the extra height, and also the drawer is a great place to store clean clothes waiting for kids to come and put them away.

Laundry is the only household chore I like!! I switched to a front loader a few years ago and I love it too. The dryer works as fast as the washer because the washer spins the water out better than a top loader. My Fav feature is the delay button, I can put a load in when someone is in the shower or I want to hop in and set it to go in an hour or 5 hours! We have a time of use program on our electricty and I can move the laundry and it will start on its own (my memory is faulty anyway) keeps things moving!1

Good luck with the household expenses - I know exactly how it goes. ;)

I hear you! Our old dryer took 3 hrs to dry a load EVERY time...and we had it that way for 3 years! I'm sure we wasted a LOT of electricity. Now we moved so we got lovely front-loaders. Love them! And definitely recommend the storage underneath. It is great for all of the laundry supplies plus I use mine to store other cleaning products too. Must warn you that it is an extra 100 bucks for the fun colors for each machine. Yikes! (at least for the brand we got) Although I would have loved a colored one...I would rather save $200...so white it is for us.

I would rather do laundry than any other household chore. I'll do your laundry (no ironing, just the washing & drying) and you can: clean my toilet, go grocery shopping, or cook for me. hopefully you get your wish of front loaders. :)

Our dryer did the same thing about a year ago. We live in a small town, and the closest repair shop is an hour away! So I figured, what the heck, I know nothing about dryers, but it can't hurt to take the back panel off and just look at it. If all else fails, there is always Google. (Of course I unplugged the dryer first.) Well it took two seconds to see what was wrong. One of the wires on the power cord had oxidized and broken off where it attaches to the back of the dryer. Well through some experimentation and a few minutes of research on Google, I found that there are two "power" wires. One runs the drum, i.e. "spins" it, and the other runs the heat. The drum was spinning but not getting hot, because the wire hooked up to the "heat" post had broken, as I said. The solution? Cut off the bum section of wire, and reattach the little connecter to the new section of wire on the end, then reattach to dryer, which is one screw. It has worked like a charm ever since and only took 10 minutes. It could be something this simple, and it couldn't hurt to just take a peek. If you're lucky it'll be a quick fix, and you can save that money you were going to spend on a new dryer. If not, oh well, at least you tried right?

Oh my darlin, oh my darlin, oh my darling TDC. . . you and I are united in our passion for avoiding the laundry . . . but I'm quite sure a new front loader will coax you to be a little more neutral on the chore. Mine did, that's fo shoh. Love my front loaders but they did take a bit of getting used to . . all that efficiency washing with less water takes longer doncha know - yep a typical wash cycle takes an hour unless you're on 'speed' wash. And for get er done gals like us, time is of the essence. Anywho, thanks for keepin' it real girly, I laughed and then sighed a big sigh at that table shot. Such is life. Whatever will you do ?

I also despise laundry. Like you, I don't mind the washing and putting into the dryer. But the folding and putting away? Blech! I do, however, luuuurve my front loading washer/dryer set. We have the Kenmore HE3 or maybe it's the HE4. Can't remember and I'm too lazy to go look, but they're kenmore and we LOVE them AND it takes almost exactly the same amount of time to wash a load as to dry a load. Suhweet! Can't wait to see what you come up with. Oh, and a P.S. I have a girlfriend who has a Maytag and despises it. I can hook you up with her if you have questions. Happy shopping!

You don't have to have the storage below, but they are nice in that you don't have to hunch over so far to get in them. That being said, I have had a Frigidaire front load washer for two years and I HATE it! The capacity is overhyped, my clothes do NOT get as clean, and the stupid thing has leaked water from the door since we bought it. This is NOT uncommon either, in case you are thinking I just got a bum washer. Have had the seal replaced, and still it leaks. The repair guy said it happens all the time with front loaders. Luckily they are in a basement with a concrete floor, so I am not worried about water damage, and the leakage is just enough to be annoying, but not cause a flood. If you had any other kind of floor, or a main floor laundry room, it would be a whole other story. And this is a model that was rated #1 by Consumer Reports at the time. I have not seen a signigicant difference in my water bill either. Not sure how much water these people that claim they save hundreds of dollars a year are using. I would love to go and get another top loader, but it is kind of hard to explain to your husband that you need a new washer only two years after having convinced him that is was worth paying over twice as much for a front loader. So I guess I'll have to wait until it craps out, which with this level of craftsmanship shouldn't be much longer. I am so ticked at myself for having bought into the hype! Save yourself the grief, and several hundred dollars, and go with a top loader. Thats just my opinion.

I agree that it may just be the heating element or moisture-sensor-thingy that's a problem. But, if you're looking for an excuse to get a new dryer (or washer+dryer, as the case may be), then we don't have to mention that "heating element" possibility...and certainly don't google your problem because then you just might be able to fix it yourself (or have hubby do it) like my hubby did to fix our washer about a month ago. :) I share your hatred for laundry. I own the Whirlpool Duet front-loading w/d, and I love them. The main reason is that when I do get ridiculously behind on laundry (which is often because I have a hubby + 4 kids ages 5 and under), I can catch up in a fraction of the time it took me with a standard size w/d. LOVE that! About the stands: I need them for the storage (teeny tiny laundry room w/minimal storage), and I also happen to rather enjoy the non-bending-over factor when loading and switching from washer to dryer, especially during pregnancy (note the # of children I have). :) If storage isn't an issue, but you still like the idea of having them at a more ergonomically-friendly height, you could totally build some stands yourself! Hope that helps! :)

You could not part me from my LG Tromm front loading washer and dryer - LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THEM!!! - If there were ever a disaster and I could only save one appliance in my home, it would be the washer (and that's saying something since I HATE laundry). To prevent mold/mildew, make sure you wipe out the rubber seal on the door at the end of the day's laundry and leave the door open overnight so the inside can dry out (it's water-tight, so if you close the door, any water trapped inside will not be able to evaporate).

I have and LOVE a front loader washer and dryer set that we got about 3 years ago. They are fabulous. I can wash almost every towel we own in one load! The dryer is always done before the washer so that helps me stay motivated to get it done! Good luck convincing your hubby...my mom always said that you are supposed to buy them in pairs...

If it helps in your efforts of securing a washer.... ;o) I realized recently that men will spend money on really nice tools, saws, etc. that sit in their garage and that seldom get used, but they know when they do use it, it needs to be good quality. Well, why not our washers and dryers? Think of how much they get used, yet so many women will just buy the cheap-o set. What is UP with THAT?

I plan on pulling this out when it's time for us to get a new w/d combo. :)

I have the red samsung front load washer and dryer and I LOVE THEM! I can dry a load of clothes (towels) in 30 minutes it takes 54 minutes to wash. Yes, I have the bases. I didn't want them but my husband talked me into them and i am glad I got them. I also felt if I was going to have to do laundy why not get a fun color. I love the red.

bummer about your drier - i know nothing about that sort of thing - but hopefully all these other great suggestions will lead you to the answer! i've had my LG front loading washer and dryer for 2 years and l.o.v.e. them! they even play a calming tune when the cycle is complete...it makes you want to skip in the laundry room and dance around with all the clean/dry clothes :) maybe that little tune would make you hate laundry a little less...worked for me!

I would call a repair man first. It could be something really simple. If you have to buy a new one definitely get the drawers underneath.#1 it looks better #2 its awesome for storage! I store my hangers and dryer sheets underneath.Ad for the washing machine ...i have the LG set and I learned the hard way about the mildew...mine started smelling so I did some research & you should ONLY use powder detergent. Liquid detergent & softner contain petroleum which over time leave a residue in the drum and you can't see it. I started using powder and stopped using softner and now its smells like new and my clothes are actually cleaner.Back to the dryer mines gas and dries a huge load of towels in about 30 minutes.

As for the dryer remove the back (it's only a few screws) and you'll be amazed at the lint built up inside that never went through the lint trap! Just vacuum it out. If you use dryer sheets they leave an oily film on the filter-wash it. A friend does appliance repair and he say's that's usually the cause of a dryer taking so long to dry.

I'm surprised your vent hose runs so far through you house with no access. Lint build up from dryers is the number one cause of house fires. Yikes!

sorry about the troubles. I've had my washer and dryer for 13 years. they won't quit, it's great they have held out for so long, but I really want those pretty front loading ones, that come in such pretty colors. I say you need to raise them up, just because they sit so low. But you could definitely build your own and save a ton of money.

Do you hear the drum rotating and actually tossing your clothes? If it isn't, your belt is the issue. If corrosion on your lead isn't visible, the belt will need to be replaced.

I have the Samsung front loaders, and chose white simply due to the cost. If you have a separate folding surface then I highly recommend the pedestals; if you don't have a folding surface then I would skip the pedestals and use the tops of your machines as the base to anchor a topper of some sort. I use High Efficiency liquid detergent in combination with powdered Super Washing Soda (not baking soda, though it is an Arm and Hammer product) and if I'm washing towels I use the Silver Care feature; I find that the clothing is cleaner and I don't have to worry about propping open the washer door to prevent mildew. Yes, the finished load tune is pleasant, but it won't make up for the required folding, ironing and hanging of all the clean laundry. Good luck.

I wish I had the time to read everyone's opinions on this...but I'll just share what I have to give you an idea. We've had a Maytag Neptune front loader washer and dryer. It takes about 45 minutes to wash and about the same amount of time to dry. I can easily do 6 loads of laundry in one afternoon; which is what I normally do up until it's time to make dinner. I always leave the washer door open after the cycle is done to keep it from getting mildewy. I tried the storage bins for a while, but had to have my hubby remove them. I am only 5 feet tall so they were pointless b/c once they were under my washer & dryer, I could barely reach the buttons to start the wash. That makes me sound so lame, but I don't think they're necessary anyways.

When it rains, it pours, right? That's how I've been feeling too lately. I had trouble a few months ago with our dryer not drying. I did some research online and ended up taking the front of the dryer off, so I could see what was around the drum part and it was stuffed with lint! I got out our dry-vac and vacuumed it out and unclogged the area from the dryer that leads to the vent. I found that our lint catcher (mine is in the door of the dryer) didn't go in properly because of all the lint caught under it in the front area I took off (make sense?). Once I got it all cleaned out, that solved my problem. It sounds like that could be yours as well, since your vents are clogged. Do you clean your lint catcher regularly? I hope that helps. :)

I must say, I was against the front loaders for the whole "mold" research I found as well. But I caved day after thanksgiving when a Kenmore Front Loader W/STEAM (the HT3T) was on an AMAZING deal (I think I paid $1100 for the SET). Anyway...I didn't think I needed the larger capacity because I like to do my kids stuff separate...but there is something to be said about putting TONS of stuff in there and doing half as many loads because like you once I'm ready to finally do it (never) I want it done...and quick!

A few other details I've learned in my research...I live in a fairly dry climate, however from what I've heard you don't have to keep the door OPEN all the time, I just never latch it completely allowing some air flow and I give it some days/opportunities to air out with it open, but not everyday cuz that would bug me =)I talked to a few repairmen who said US brands (I think GE and Kenmore and maybe Whirlpool?) are easier/faster/cheaper to fix because the parts are more accessible and cheaper.Last, I LOVE the steam option because I can get ANY stain out that I want because the steam helps loosen up the stain. I also use the steam on the dryer to "refresh" clothes instead of drying cleaning and/or ironing all the time.OH...and one more thing, make SURE your washer has an "express" cycle for washing. I can do a load that's less soiled in 30minutes as opposed to the typical 50...that has come in really handy for me as well.If you wait long enough, Black Friday Sears has some good ones usually every year. I had to camp, but for more than $1000 savings, it was worth my lack of sleep.

By the way, apparently you're doing well if you get 5 years use out of a washer that's used more than twice a week (or so the washing machine repair man told me). We have a front loading 2 in 1 washer/dryer (twin tubs are a rarety over here). Never known anything different and it's completely fine.

The same thing happened to me recently. We bought a front load Maytag set from Lowes when they had cash for appliances, and had 15% off. I LOVE them. We paid a little more for the washer because it has a built in fan to help with the mold problem, since this the one issue I had heard everyone has. I have had no problem. It also has a setting that you clean the washer with and use an "affresh" tablet (you buy them at lowes as well.) We got the steam dryer because I am horrible and leave the clothes in well after they are done (days maybe?) and you can refresh them with steam. I love them, and am a HUGE hater of laundry.As for the storage pedestals, I was told that if your laundry room is on the second floor, which mine is, they make it wobble more. I do not have them, but really wanted them. I have been perfectly fine without them since i am kinda short.Hope this helps!

My DIL just went through the same issue with their dryer (only about 8 years old) so they went shopping. She talked him into a new set (that girl is one smart cookie!) using the premise of more efficient, less energy ploy. The new set is gorgeous red, LG brand, front-end washer and dryer on the stands and she is in love! What my son hasn't figured out yet is that there is also a plan to re-do the laundry room. Silly man!!

A front loader washer/dryer came with our new home. Otherwise I would NOT buy a front loader washer. As other's have already noted meldew issues if you don't leave the door open and dry the ring. AND if you're like me and have the need to throw an item into the washer after it has already started....not so easy. Our washer/dryer are not placed on the storage units. It works for us because there is a nice long counter surface above the units. Love that counter space!!

I've had front loader washer and dryer in Germany for year, never a problem with them. I would recommend to leave to door on the washer open, until the rubber dried. I treated myself to one from Kenmore, when we moved to Canada three years ago. I love it, it doesn't tear holes in my laundry and if you have little ones it's fun to watch. No drawer underneath, so I have to bend down a bit more.I know it's more work until you have a new dryer, but I dry our clothes outside in the summer month, saves tons of money. We have 3 teens, so lots of washing every week (I make them help me).

I have a Bosch front loader washer & dryer. I leave the door of the washer open after finishing a load & I haven't had any problems. My favorite feature is a delay start on the washer. I put the laundry in at night and set it to finish right when I wake up. Throw it in the dryer and one load is done before I even finish my coffee. I don't have the storage underneath, you can always build them. There is a great build your own storage idea I just came across @ http://showandtell-sausha.blogspot.com/2010/03/laundry-room.html

We've had our LG front loaders for about 2 1/2 years and love them. Crack the doors after you're done washing, and that should take care of the mildew issue. My mom and Dad have Samsung front loaders and love them as well. From what I understand, the Samsung have less of a mildew issue in the washer. Definitely get the storage bins. That's where I store our flashlights, lightbulbs, and laundry stuff. More importantly though, it helps to keep you from breaking your back over laundry! They do make laundry easier and more fun!

I have the red LG, Love it, Love it, Love it!! Dryer takes alot less time because the clothes come out almost spun dry anyway. I would'nt go back to another. The washer door does need to be open from time to time to air out but no big deal.

WOWEE! Well they (whoever in the heck they are anyway!)say bad things come in 3s so you should be good now! :) I love hanging laundry outside in the warmer months, gives it that fresh smell and crispness you cant get anywhere else...plus saves $$ on electric bills which is great!! We are currently in the remodel of our laundry/mud room and my hubby has bandaided our washer & dryer together so many times its crazy! they are almost 10 years old & I cannot wait for my new RED front loaders!!! And yea, you totally have to just get a pair and he will go for it..a happy wife = a happy life :)

I don't know...I'm all about spending a whole lot less money by getting something repaired as opposed to spending alot on purchasing something new. We've had the same washer and dryer for about 15 years...still going strong...(replaced water pump on washer, zero work on dryer)and I know one day, we'll have to replace them. And then, only then, will I consider purchasing something new. But those you are looking at are really sharp!!

Ok, so I had your problem too with the dryer not drying well. Ours gradually took longer and longer. Cleaning all of the lint helped some. But our problem turned out to be the washer - not wringing out the closes as well as it had been, so it forced the dryer to work harder and harder.

Now I have an LG front loader set and LOVE it! The dryer actually finishes first - who knew that was even possible! :-)

Hey Sarah-I have the pretty red washer you showed in your pics and I must say it does make laundry more fun! I was all set to be practical and buy a white one but my husband was so sweet and said another $100 for a red was nothing if it made the chore easier. :) I still have an old dryer though....just waiting for it to die so I can have a matching pair. From a practical standpoint, you really should get both. In my case the washer went first and these washers work so amazingly well that the clothes don't need much drying so my old dryer works just fine. I think you definitely need both. :) Good luck!

I also had to get a new set: when mine stopped working while the kids had the flu. Love them...The washer has a faster spin-therefore, the clothes are dryer when they come out. That is why you may need the pedestals if you are on a second floor or floor that is not on concrete. That is also why the dryer gets done faster...So go for the set, otherwise you may still be waiting for the dryer to get done.

I've had my gas dryer for over 13 years now and it is still going strong. I do want one of the new fancy front loader sets but can't justify the expense since my washer dryer set is still going strong. They are Kenmore or GE I believe.

It looks like you have plenty of room in your laundry room but just remember to measure the new dryer before your purchase it. We have a our washer/dryer in a large closet on the 2nd floor and we had to order three different dryers when ours just broke before we finally found one that fit. I know that the new front loading washer/dryers are a few inches deeper than the regular dryers.

I honestly do think washers and dryers only last 5 years. Its a shame because they cost a pretty penny. We just upgraded to Samsung VRT Steam Front loader washer and dryer set. The same thing was happening with our dryer so we upgraded both a gave our washer to a neighbor in need. Can I say it has been the best investment. We use a lot less laundry detergent. Seriously I think I was buying laundry detergent every other week since I do laundry everyday in our house. Now I buy detergent maybe one every other month. Love Love Love our new washer and dryer.

Sorry, had to remove the previous comment since I had so many typos that I appeared not too bright!Our dryer did the same thing. The repairman said it was the dryer filter. If you take your filter out and run it under that cool faucet in your beautiful kitchen and it can't run through it, then it is clogged. Take Dawn (the miracle cleaner!) and scrub your filter. Rinse. Let dry.You should see a tremendous difference in drying time.

Hi Sarah! Sorry to hear about your table...bummer :( As for front loaders, they SUCK! My mom and my 2 cousins have them as well and we all have the same problem. First of all, the less water thing is nice, but with 4 boys, their clothes never get clean enough for me. I used to soak their socks for 24 hours to get them back to white and you can't do that with a front loader. And, you have to leave the door of the washer open all.the.time to avoid mildew. Under the seal always has to be cleaned due to the mildew that settles into it. In my opinion, they are so not worth it. My cousin put hers on craigslist and just bought the Cabrio washer and dryer and she couldn't be happier. When I can talk my husband into it, I'll be doing the same!

We have front loaders. I LOVE THEM. We decided to stack them even though I really didn't want to. But, I'm glad we did. I thought I would want the space on top of them to use if they were side by side. But, in reality, that space would have been a clutter zone. And, now we have extra room in that area because they are stacked. (I'm 5'2" with thick shoes on and have no trouble using and reaching).WE LOVE LOVE LOVE them. Our washer was ok when we needed the dryer (the old one took 2 hours per load and wouldn't shut off on it's own- Luckily we didn't burn down the house with it). Since we were getting the dryer, we got the washer too. (the set was about 15-20 years old) It made sense to get them at the same time so we could hook them all up. The stackable ones give you so many more options!

Oh boy, it really has been cooky out at your place hasn't it? Sometimes a new heating coil will work for a drier. Hope you can get a new one soon or fix the one you have. Do you have a warranty on the ones you have now? We had a whirlpool washer & dryer that last my family for just over 20 years. I don't think yours should be acting up so prematurely, hopefully you can just fix it.

I see you have a gazillion comments on this already, but just in case there's a slim chance someone has commented on the W/D you have shown, I'll jump in.

I have that exact Samsung model. Even down to the blue color (I really wanted red, but it costs more!). I love my front loaders. The washer uses so much less water, which is key for us septic users. However, I will tell you, I find the dryer takes longer to dry than any other dryer I've owned (and I'm on number 4 or 5 after 25 years of marriage). I do think maybe it's because it's energy saving, and the temp doesn't get as hot as some others. Which is actually better for the clothes by not "cooking" them. But, if it's speed you're looking for in drying the clothes, I'm not sure you'll be happy with the Samsung.

I do love my front loading washer. It gets enough water out of the laundry that the dryer is able to dry the clothes in the same amount of time it takes the washer to wash the next load, so there's no backup!

I have the Kenmore Elite series..in black. Can't say enough good stuff about them. I never knew how bad my old set was until I got these. Clothes are so much cleaner! Drys so quick and it even adjusts the time for drying.Do get the pedestals though...they would be way too low without them.

I've had my front-loader for a couple of years now- love the washer, but you do need to leave the door open to prevent the mildew/sour smell. It does seem to spin out more of the water,so clothes don't take as long in the dryer. (My dryer gets backed up with lint also, and have to clean it out.)

I have the front load washer and dryer set and I think it is a love/hate relationship. I honestly think I would go back to a top loader on the washer. If I forget something and stop the washer to put it in, the soap runs down the front and I am a control freak so I like better control on how much water I need to use per load. Good luck.

In our first married apartment we had a problem with the clothes not drying. 4 or 5 cycles and still not dry. Sadly it took about 5 months for them to come fix it. First they tried that brush thingy, and that didn't help, so they brought in some professionals. Surprise, surprise there was a BIRD'S NEST in the tube!. Here's a link to the post, and pictures!

We finally got a new washer and dryer this year when my dryer was doing the same thing but also making a lovely sound that was ear splitting, EVERY time, I dried clothes and dare I say....I like laundry but it was making it HELL! We got front loader ones and stacked them up so now my laundry room is like a mansion (in laundry room speak) and my clothes are dry in a snap and super quiet. I love them!!!!

Wow what a few weeks you have had! So we just bought a new washer and dryer. When we went to Lowes we tested, pulled on, slammed doors,and tried to see how our three wild animals could break it! We found that with the front loaders you have to worry about mold and mildew accumulating overtime in the doors cause the water sits there during each wash. So we went with the Cabrio. Its a top loader but its huge! I truly like doing laundry now. Which for me is extremely rare! Now I am trying to figure out a way to organize my laundry room as it's small and confined! Good Luck!

Here's my 2 cents. We have front loaders. They are awesome, they hold a ton and are really efficient. We stacked them on top of each other, therefore are unable to have the storage thingys. We too leave the washer door open after a load to make sure it doesn't get mildewy. Socks get caught in the rubber thing around the edge, but I just check it every time and reach in and get them. Love my front loaders! P.S. Go ahead and get the washer...it's worth it!

We just purchased the Whirlpool Duet washer and dryer and I LOVE them! I opted not to get the pedestals so that I could put a counter over the top. We have a laundry closet as opposed to a laundry room, so that was my only work space. So far it is working wonderfully (and I can dry loads in less than an hour!). The sales person also talked us out of pedestals because they vibrate and make a lot of noise. That was definately an issue for us as our laundry closet is right off the kitchen/great room. These new washers have literally cut my laundry time in half. I would have paid double for that.

If anyone can relate to your pain, it is ME! I went back in my archives, and I've done a half dozen posts on laundry alone! My washer broke down last fall, and here's the post I did on the one we chose. http://j-a-girl.blogspot.com/2009/09/finally.html

I did a TON of research on which one to buy, so maybe that'll take some of the guess work out for you. As for the stands underneath? They were $279.00 EACH! I thought that was ridiculous, so we walked away without one. A lot of people just build their own, but my hubby isn't down with that one just this moment.

FYI...my daughter was looking at the computer while I was reading your post, and she pointed at the picture of your husband and said, "Is that daddy?" Must look similar! :)

Oh stupid laundry! I hate it too!!! I thrifted a cute chandelier for my laundry room do-over... I am hoping that will help.

I have your lint eater... I think they trick is that you have to have enough lengths so that it gets ALL the way to the end... cost me ~$100 but cheaper than a new dryer. I love that contraption. It's super bad if you attach the round/mushroom part to one end and your cordless drill to the other. Run it in, then add a link, run that through, add another link... until you get to the end of the pipe. If your vent is anything like ours was, there was easily a pillow case, if not more, lint caked inside... yuck!!

As for frontloaders: I have a Kenmore washer (and just a plain old dryer so we won't talk about that). I lucked out and got it off Craig's List from a Japanese family moving from our college town back to Japan. BUT!!! I think you do need the drawer/riser thing on the bottom. Otherwise, it's like standing on your head to get wet clothes out of the washer... NOT A GOOD THING FOR GIRLS LIKE US that hate laundry anyway.

I had problems with our old machines, too. The dryer just wouldn't get the clothes dry without running it through three cycles. The answer, though, was with the washing machine. If I ran the clothes through an extra spin cycle, then the dryer could finish the clothes in one cycle. It's not a solution, but it's a quick fix while you shop.

Washer: Like it ~ gets stuff REALLY clean. Stains...gone. I don't like mine only for this reason: if you have something in there like one rug, it doesn't spin out well.I don't even use the stand (empty), but it's probably easier on the back to have one.

Dryer: Hate it. Sensor Schmensor!

Just had service on a Brand New Frigidaire 'fridge. I asked the (awesome) service guy, in depth, about brands. He said Whirpool is the only way to go with appliances now (except dishwashers= Bosch).

I got a used front-loading washer and dryer that came with my house last year and I (mostly) love them. A while ago we took the pedastals out from underneath them. According to the owner's manual that comes with most of them, they work best on a level cement floor, which I do not have, so my washer was coming unbalanced very easily. Also, you have to remember to check under the rubber gasket that seals the washer after each load (which I found out Sunday when I found about 20 gross socks that had gotten stuck! At least we know what happens to them now!) and I'd leave the door open a crack and use washing machine cleaner or vinegar at least monthly. Good luck with your search!

Sarah - I too had a dryer that heated up but that didn't dry my clothes or took foreeever! After trying the lint trap and it tried my patience, we disoverd that the belt on the drum was broken. It looks like a giant hair band that goes around the big round drum of the dryer. It was a super easy and inexpensive repair (about $10 for the belt)and my kinda handy beau's help. I did my part, I printed the repair instructions from a website that I googled :) and he installed the band/belt thingy in 30 minutes. Voila the dryer works like a charm. While I was researching the repair, I researched the front loaders and with all the money we saved on the dryer repair, I decided to invest in a front load LG washer and I lover it! My local water company has a rebate for $100 for buying high efficiency and Home Depot had a sale and LG had a rebate so lots o' savings! Oh, oh, oh, I saw a super cute laundry platform in blogland that the blogger built and put 3 entire baskets under for sorting and storing and stuff. It was painted and had trim and molding and is was uber cute! Good luck with all the other mishaps, I hear you all athe way on those that come in and multiply.

The same thing happened to us, we got a new dryer, and it dried better but not as well as a brand new dryer should. Turns out there was a bird's nest DEEP within the dryer vent at the bend in the pipe, with sticks over a foot long holding it in place! So, before installing the new dryer, run some water or something through the pipe to make sure there isn't anything in there!

That hose from your dryer is definitely not according to code and is even a fire hazard! I would do whatever I could to have it moved. We put our old dryer on a pedestal and have had no problems but it really relieves my back. Some models of the fancy new washer/dryers shake more than others...I don't think the pedestal makes the diff but you can check consumer reports because shaking is definitely an issue.Good luck and fix that dryer hose!:)

I was having the same problem. my vent also runs throught some other rooms before it goes outside. buying a new dryer will only fix the problem temporarily until all the buildup of lint ruins the heating element. we had to call someone to come and suck out our whole vent!! We got about 2 basketball sizes of lint out of ours. now the clothes dry before the washer gets done!!

Have front load and hate it! Mildew and in our tiny laundry room the door is a major issue!! The other thing I find is my clothes end up in a tangled mess (Bosch makes one that spins both ways and according to our maintenance guy is best for remedying that) We are going to the new top load, like front loaders they do not have an agitator taking up all your wash room.Oh, and just a word of caution...the new front loaders/HEs are NOT supposed to be put on a second story due to the vibrations...the sales people won't tell you that but the guys who work on them will along with all the homeowners who now have major cracks in their ceilings!! My girlfriends dining room chandelier fell. Not good!

I had one of the early front loaders and absolutely HATED IT. Would NEVER go back to one, really. I don't use the word "hate" that much but it gets me going just thinking about that piece of crap (and it was a high end model). Here is what I HATED about the front loader. Get the laundry in start it turn around and shoot there is a sock on the floor:( to bad, don't collect $200 or get out of jail because you can not OPEN THE FRIGGING DOOR!!! Then when it was done washing. I'm standing there waiting to open the door because, of course, I have to pick up a kid or go some where and I'm waiting, waiting, waiting- which seems like forever and finally it unlocks! UGH, nothing but frustration for me. Went with a Fisher Paykel top loader and dryer and I LOVE it. I think I have had it for almost 10 years. Very happy with it.

We got LG frontloaders last year and I LOVE them. The only thing that was weird to me at first is how little water is in the washer. I was sure that wasn't right. But the clothes always come out CLEAN so I've relaxed a bit! :)

We didn't get the base drawers because they were like $300+ for 2. I've been wanting to build a stand underneath a la Sausha from {Show & Tell} but I read that you can sometimes have vibration problems. :/

I JUST went through this whole process, but it was with my washing machine and my awesome husband said while we were in the store "why don't you just get both?" Woohoo!!! And yes, I LOVE doing laundry now, really and truly :) A new machine makes all the difference. After LOTS of research (we are on a budget) we went with LG. And Sears has GREAT service. . .so. . .that's my 2 cents. Good luck. And the same thing happened to our glass table a couple years ago but the umbrella took the entire table over. Ugh. It was smaller maybe that's why. When it rains it pours. Good luck with the laundry situation.

I have Amana front loaders and love them. However, you shouldn't need a new dryer after only 6 years. Even if it's heating it could still need a new element. Also, sometimes running the clothes through a second spin cycle can help a bit and make sure your loads aren't too big. It'd probably be much cheaper to repair the dryer than replace it and since they aren't very old that's the route I would go.

Oh, and don't spring for the storage compartments. . .not worth it. I would, however, encourage buying a stackable unit (the stacking package is only $25 if you go with LG). We now have space in our laundry room to put a tub!!!

I bought a matching Samsung front loading w/d set in late January and by mid April, the washer was already giving me fits...shutting down in mid cycle and giving an error code. Had 4 service calls within a 3-4 week period. If interested, you can read about it here:

When the washer isn't in use, I leave the door open all the time to help prevent mold/mildew. The detergent dispenser drawer usually has residual water in it at the end of a wash cycle too so I have to remember to empty it and leave the drawer open or I'm sure it would become moldy in no time.

Problems aside, the front loaders do make laundry more enjoyable, to a degree, but I have very mixed emotions whether mine have been worth the extra cost, maintenance, and aggravation.

Wow.. people are passionate about their washing machines!! Interesting posts. I just got a new w/d LAST NIGHT!! My first set lasted for 29 years.. I Know.. hard to believe, but true nonetheless.. they didn't owe me anything. I did lots of research.. my repairman that came a few years back for my washer said that the only machine he would buy was the Whirlpool Duet. Tucked that in my mind, for future info.. that's what I ended up doing..

Whirlpool makes two types of machines -- one specifically for upper floors that have less vibration in the spin.

The other thing I did was buy my pedestals on Craigslist.. people are renovating their houses all the time, and there are always some on their.. and they fit all types. I got my pair for $80 TOTAL.. and they were only one year old and were in perfect condition.

Washed my first load last night, and couldn't believe how dry they came out of the washer.. it was truly amazing.. so then the dryer completely dried everything (even towels) in less than 30 minutes.. score!

Sorry about all your bad luck! That is a bummer! But, one fun thing is your table!! I just saw this cool project for a table just like yours!! They took the middle part that was broken at turned it into a garden box! The table looked so awesome!! It was a built in center piece! I'll see if I can find the link for the project if you want it!

First off...I've had the same problem with my dryer before. Turned out that I had turned the heat setting to Delicate therefore drying was taking FOREVER! Of course, it only took a flick of the wrist to fix mine and I didn't get to buy the brand new fancy washer and dryer like I had hoped! Second thing...I saw on another blog a really cool idea about the storage underneath. They used a coffee table of sorts (instead of the "storage jobbies") and used the open storage underneath for laundry baskets.

My Maytag machines lasted for 23 years...but then when they eventually gave up the ghost, we got front loaders (white, yawn). I too love mine (I don't feel worthy enough to say "lurve")...and i just keep the door open after washing long enough for an air-out...no stink, no problem! I am rather short so i wondered about the pedestals, but then they seemed as if they would be too tall to fold on. Hubster built a small pedestal for them, and they are the perfect height--and it was sooo much cheaper! I highly recommend them...go for it!!! By the way...welcome to my world...you would FLIP out if you heard the list of stuff that goes wrong for us...i do believe we are being tested...

Congrats on the new front loaders, but don't fall for the..."If I buy this shiny new efficient purdy dryer/washer, it will lessen my work load." NOT! In fact, because it fits more, there's even a bigger pile of guilt at the end. If we could just install that robot maid from the Jetsons... what was her name??? Lowes needs to get a lil more w/ the program, here. And sometimes... I just want an incinerator. Ya know? I know, Im a little cranky right now.

I love my front load washer/dryer. I have a Whirlpool duet and I LOVE it. I highly recommend. We purchased at Lowes and they had a great sale, a low price on service plan and also delivered and hauled the old one away for FREE the NEXT day! It was amazing! I did not get the pedistals because I just could not bring myself to spend the money on something that is really only there to make it more convenient so you don't have to bend over quite so far. (My hubby offered cinderblocks:) HA)

Sounds like just needing a new heating element which is no biggie and costs less than new dryer or set which I know you realllllllly would prefer!

I don't recall you mentioning it (and you probably did) and am NOT implying lack of anything on your part, but you did clean out the actual lint trap on the dryer (the after every load one) and not just the big hoses that vent out the back? :)

Sorry...I have two teens in the house...in habit of having to remind about this. It's turning into a mantra! :)

Sounds like just needing a new heating element which is no biggie and costs less than new dryer or set which I know you realllllllly would prefer!

I don't recall you mentioning it (and you probably did) and am NOT implying lack of anything on your part, but you did clean out the actual lint trap on the dryer (the after every load one) and not just the big hoses that vent out the back? :)

Sorry...I have two teens in the house...in habit of having to remind about this. It's turning into a mantra! :)

I would highly recommend a high capcity/ energy efficient top loader (without the agitator in the middle) for several reasons (most of which have already been mentioned). 1- No mildew problem (and this is huge). My mother's front loader has been ruined by mildew. 2- The top loaders are able to agitate your laundry better than front loaders because it isn't just going in a circular motion. There are spinners that can move the laudry in all kinds of directions and that gets the water out better too. 3- Top loaders allow your stained laudry to "sit and soak", again, not always a great thing with front loaders (the water can/does leak out the door). Top loaders are still very high capacity (10 pairs of jeans..seriously) and use very little water. No matter what you do, I would also highly recommend a surge protector. Since all the washers have computers in them, the mother boards get fried easily. We went through two mother boards in two years (luckly still on warranty) before we put in a surge protector. We haven't had any problems since. Good luck. Love your blog.

We love our Electrolux dryer...it literally can dry a load of towels in under 40 minutes and leaves them smelling great and wrinkle free. We were hesitant about the price tag but once we got using them it's been worth every penny! http://www.electroluxappliances.com/laundry-appliances/dryers/eied55hiw

Someone may have commented this above - but just 2 months ago my hubby (who also does his own laundry - LOVE those men!) and I bought a the front loading w&d and love them! But here's a tip/hint - we got our old set (which was 10 yrs old) purchased from us (you heard right) and hauled away. We MADE MONEY by selling our old w&d before the new ones came in. Call around - see what you can find out!

This same thing happened to me with my dryer and laundry seriously just became the absolute pits (even more than normal). Finally we decided to clean out the vents similar to what you did, and I was also giddy to find big lumps of lint and get that out of there. But then it still wouldn't dry well. We finally figured out that the dryer hose behind the dryer was getting kinked and air wasn't passing through very efficiently. We had to pull out our dryer a little bit to keep it from getting kinked again, but now it works amazingly well and I've never been so happy! It's amazing how much easier laundry becomes when you have a dryer that works!

Kenmore. Love them. Our first "old fashioned" ones lasted 15 years. Actually, they still work, I just wanted new ones a couple of years ago. I had the same problem with the dryer taking longer than the washer. With the front loaders, a half hour cold wash is fine for just about everything except maybe towels and sheets. The dryer dries almost everything in almost 30 minutes or less. LOVE! Do heed the door open policy for the washer. I still share the hatred of folding, hanging, sorting, putting away - yuck. There are still piles around almost all the time, but at least it is "fun" to use the machines and they're so purty. My husband ALSO does his own laundry - isn't it great!

Ugh! When it rains it pours! I think I am going down a similar bath. I just dropped $1000 on car repairs and my washing machine isn't acting itself (it is 12 years old) and the people living in our house want out of their lease early...and told me the air conditioner in the house is acting up!

SO FUN!

I don't have a front loading washer, but the only thing I don't like about them is you can't open them to throw in one last thing! Once you have started them they are locked!

A short while ago I thought my dryer was kaput because it was doing what yours did. Here, all it was, was that someone (i have the sneaking suspicion it was the hubs) flipped the switch from "Heated Dry" to "Air Fluff". Once I flipped it back to where it belonged, it worked perfectly again! Have you looked at your settings lately? I know that most times I do laundry on auto pilot and just assume that things are now the way they were the last time I did a load. Check them out to make sure that everything points to HEAT and all that.

Oh, and we have a front-loader washer (but a 15-year-old dryer) and we LOVE it. No need for the storage thingy - that's just to make it higher so you don't have to stoop to put your laundry in. Just build a cheaper stand out of wood.

I vote new dryer... and you have to have a matching washing machine or your old one will get a complex. Matching is always better! :) I want the teal set... SO pretty! I totally think you will enjoy doing laundry with new, pretty machines!! I hate laundry too... but if I could look at those machines, I think I would like it a lot more! Bad luck about everything happening at once!! Hopefully you get just as big of a good luck streak!!!

I don't think that it should matter if it is the heating element, a clogged vent, or an outdated dryer....we just shouldn't have to put up with machines that don't work. I have similar feelings about doing wash, but the worst part for me is putting the laundry away...it makes me snarl. I have a plan to get a new washer (which is what we are in greatest need of), but how can you possibly go without the matching dryer. Now if I can only convince my husband that it is a NEED. Maybe if he did his own laundry he would understand my NEED for a new machine.

I don't think that it should matter if it is the heating element, a clogged vent, or an outdated dryer....we just shouldn't have to put up with machines that don't work. I have similar feelings about doing wash, but the worst part for me is putting the laundry away...it makes me snarl. I have a plan to get a new washer (which is what we are in greatest need of), but how can you possibly go without the matching dryer. Now if I can only convince my husband that it is a NEED. Maybe if he did his own laundry he would understand my NEED for a new machine.

I know at least one other person mentioned this (but I didn't read every comment, there are tons) but do check your lint trap IN the dryer. Make sure that's free of lint, and YES- WASH THE LINT SCREEN! I do that occassionally. Just try it- run some water over it and you'll see water catching on it. It's residue from fabric softener. Just uses your hands, a sponge, or an old toothbrush and some soap and wash it real quick- no major scrubbing required. You'll be amazed at the difference! This should help w/ efficiency and also prevent a potential fire hazard.

another thing, is your dryer basket spinning? it may be heating, but if it's not spinning it won't be effective.

Hey girl! We have a front load washer. I really like it because it's pretty but I don't know that it does the job any better than any other washer! They SAY it uses less water, plus you can use the concentrated (HE) detergent so you can use less. And warning-getting the pretty red or blue washer/dryer (which I wanted BAD) will cost you an extra $100-$200 EACH! And I totally wanted the storage thingys for underneath but those were about $150 each! So, we just got white and did without the extra storage bins. But they would be SO nice!! We shopped around and HH Gregg was the best deal-look for when they have one of their employee discount open to the public days. Good luck!

We once had a similar problem. So we unplugged the hose from the wall and turned on the dryer, we checked to make sure it was blowing hot air...and it was. You don't have to run it long, just like a minute or so. So after that we figured that it was the vent that goes to the outside was plugged, and yup it was!

so even after you cleaned your vent, do this test and if you get hot air blowing then it's probably still a problem with the vent in the walls.

SIX years old!!!????? Honey, my washer and dryer are over 20 years old and will NOT die:):) I have PRAYED they would die so I could get a new set:):) YOur poor table too. and lawn....OH dear! Hope things start looking up for you! XO, Pinky

I have been in your ... uh... socks. Sounds like the heating element, which is not expensive to find OR hard to replace. (I did ours myself, and I am not at ALL handy.) Anyway, we replaced ours about 3 years ago on our 12 year old dryer and it's working away. And our washer is 10 years old and we got a cheap one. So... I would think they should last longer. Love your choices of washer, er, uh, dryer. hehe. I would love one of those front loaders myself. Good luck, whatever you decide to do.

Our dryer every once in awhile seems to take longer to dry. Found out that it had to do with build up on the "sensors" inside. They are these long skinny metal pieces that are near the lint catcher. On mine you open the door and they face in towards the inside from the front. I would have never even known they were there. They had me take a white wash cloth and wipe them off. Works every time.

LOVE MY FRONT LOADING W/D. I can't believe how much you can fit in, and how much cleaner everything is! You use TONS less water (like only 13 gallons). You have to have the drawers underneath or the w/d are way too short --and you will hate laundry more!

The same thing happened to my glass table top. I hate to throw away the base, as it is still in good shape, so I used wood and made a new table top (painted it a fun color too!) I used one of the plans for tables on knock-offwood.com and made a few changes to make the table top stay on the base. It was an inexpensive fix to the table issue.

We have Electrolux front loaders and absolutely LOVE them. We have never had a mildew problem, although we do leave the washer door open. The capacity on these puppies is just enormous--especially the dryer--and it dries very quickly. Love it!

My mom got Kenmore front loaders back when they first came out (she's had them for at least 9 yrs) and she has never once had a mildew problem and she NEVER leaves the door open...so that's a good brand to check into also.

As for the pedestals--they're ridiculously overpriced. We built our own pedestal--made a plywood box, painted it, and even trimmed the front with molding. It looks great and cost up maybe $40 max. With your skills I think you could easily make your own pedestal!!

We had the same problem at our house. We got rid of the old top loader and got the cool front loaders! OH HOW I LOVE DOING LAUNDRY NOW! I moved the washer and dryer around because the new set is bigger. Then I redecorated the whole room. LOVE IT!

Here's the link to my new laundry room. By the way, I wanted the red too, but the guy at Home Depot sold me on the Maytag brand, which didn't come in red.http://becca-homeiswheremystorybegins.blogspot.com/2010/03/laundry-room-checking-it-off-to-do-list.html

Hi. It sounds like your heating element has gone out. It would be cheaper to fix that than to replace but....not as cute. I have front loaders and also bought the stands. I wish I had skipped the stands because I have seen some really cute storage options without them that would work so much better and saved me some money. The mildew issue with the washers is no problem as long as you leave the door open until it dries. I just never shut mine and then once every 3 months I run an empty load with bleach. Love them. Be sure to check with your sales rep about which unit to buy if it will not be sitting on a concrete slab.

I just so happen to own the Tango Red Samsung washer and dryer. They are beautiful and wonderful. The washing cycle is longer than a normal washer, so my load in the dryer is always done first. There is one thing I truly HATE though - with a top load washer, when you are putting the wash from the washer to the dryer, if you have a big mass of clothes that you are transferring, the excess falls back into the washer - with a front loader, everything falls on the dirty floor while being transferred. I love the quick cycle and all of the drying options. I don't end up using my pedestals much - if they hadn't been free, I would not have bought them.

Oh girl, You crack me up!I actually don't mind doing laundry too much. Folding laundry is about the only time I sit down in front of the TV all day. I just hate when I'm washing the kids clothes and they are all turned inside out and I have to turn them right side and check for stains to treat and then turn them inside out again to wash because of all the buttons, or ruffles or appliqués. That part takes forever! Can't give you advice on the washer/dryer. Mine are just your basic, but I wish I had better. And that's a bummer about your grass, car, and table. I know you will come up with something cool and creative for that center panel though!

First off i totally share your hatred of laundry.Our Washer just went out, it still works but doesn't spin, so i have to ring out all my wet clothes before they go in the dryer, ya not cool!! We went shopping for washers and i somehow managed to talk the hub into a matching pair, because like you said they are delivering the one anyway so what's one more. They just have to match. We are getting our second pair of front loaders, i do like front loaders.You do however need to make sure you run a cleaner thru the washer every month or so to keep the washer from molding, i think they are starting to make them better since our first pair. We are getting LG ones, to be delivered soon.Also we have given up on patio tables, glass ones at least. We had two very expensive ones break last summer, so no more glass for us!Sorry to write a novel, hope you get your matching washer dryer set soon!!

Maybe someone already said, but I have front-loaders and LOVE them...especially since the nice man who came to clean/tune them yearly for the first five years taught me all about how to keep the smell out, etc. The water gets forced into the detergent tray and needs to be dumped out=voila, no stink. They also make washer cleaner that works great and leaves a fresh smell. If you fix your dryer, you may not get another, but I'm also thinking the heating element may have gone...and you're lucky all that lint didn't ignite - so not all bad luck lately. Sorry for what you've had, minor or not, it stinks! GL with the purchases. Can't wait to see what lovelies you get and what you end up doing to decorate ;-) PS Yes, get the stands - makes the height of the actual machine much better, imho

um, FIRE HAZARD!!! The most important thing is to clean your lint filter regularly with dryers. If there is that much lint getting caught in the vent, it could seriously become a fire hazard. Heat and lint don't mix. After every load, pull out the filter at the back of the drum, scrape it off with your fingers (it comes off clean, and rolls into a ball, no need to wear gloves), and clip it back in. Will save you years on the life of your dryer, and will reduce the fire risk. Nearly no lint should actually get into the vent. That's what the filter is for!

Also... If you use dryer sheets, they leave a film on you lint filter that won't allow air through. Test this by running water on your filter. If the water pools on top of it, the filter has film on it. Wash the filter in warm soapy water with a brush, then test it again with the water. It should run through the filter. Dry it off and re-clip it into the dryer. Do this maybe every 3 months to keep the air flowing and stop the heating element from burning out.

When we moved into this house last year I got front loaders for the first time and we are pretty happy with them. The bf surprisingly wants to get some fancy ones when we finish the basement, so I am all over some pretty icy blue ones probably!

Since we are both pretty short, we opted against getting the storage drawers underneath so that when we get around to putting a countertop above the set, we'll still be able to reach everything!

This is so funny, my hubby and I bought a new w/d set this weekend! I'd had a traditional top loader, and decided to step up to a HE front loader. :) It will be delivered on Thursday! I don't like laundry, but I really hate having to catch up on it, so I try to keep it done if at all possible. We went with LG...hopefully a good choice! It sounds to me like your dryer isn't getting any air, just heat. I don't know what that would be called, the fan or blower or something. Looove your blog! :)

I hate the laundry as much as you do, but we purchased Samsung front loaders about two years ago and the task is no longer as miserable. First of all, they're really attractive. Mine also have a vibration reduction technology -- that's nice. I've never had the smell issue associated with front loaders and I'm not diligent about trying the door or seal or leaving the door open. (The machines really are super.) I got a stellar deal on my brand new pair at the Sears scratch and dent center in Carrollton, TX. Is there something like that near you?

As for the drawers underneath, I don't have those. They didn't have the set at my scratch and dent center and I didn't want to pay full retail. Look at this blog post, though: http://showandtell-sausha.blogspot.com/search/label/laundry%20room This gal made her own -- right up your alley!

I feel your pain! The dryer is simple and might be easier to replace than fix (definitely). The washer . . . not so much so. My washer gave out after 10 years of heartfelt service and I looked at the front loaders (HE, etc. etc.) and decided that the top loader was *still* the best bet both money-wise and efficiency-wise. Good luck and happy hunting replacing yours and make sure you let us know!

We have an LG front loader set. I do at least 2 loads a day around here, so they get pretty abused. We had to replace a part in the washer because of a freak power surge, but other than that 5 years later they are going strong. I would say skip the drawers, I got ones with ours and now I wish I hadn't gotten them. Good luck in your laundry adventures!

It sounds like your heating element is out. I have a 20+ year old dryer whose belt just broke last week. $38 and about an hour of work and it is back in business. Love the old machines - like old cars you can actually fix them yourself - they are pretty basic machines.

Could it be that the snaking and cleaning pushed a bunch of the dust and lint into the middle of the pipes where you couldn't get to it from the inside our outside? A blockage like that might make the dryer overheat and burn out the heating element. But, I'm no dryer doctor! :)

Oh I hate my front loader washer and dryer! My mom and brother both have them and they are nothing but trouble. I swore I would never have a front loader. Well our new house had them as part of the deal.

First I can't select a water level. If I have a small load I have to use a full tub of water. Second you need to use special soap or such a small amount of regualar soap it makes me wonder if it even is effective. Third the clothes will smell moldy if you don't disinfect and keep the washer door open at all times (except when washing :) ). My mom has the worst time with the smell of her clothes. I run a hot bleach loade (with the machine empty) every month. I add vinegar to the loads etc. But I feel I work harder to keep the machine from getting moldy then keeping my clothes clean. Forth on the washer, I want to be able to select a water temp and then the speed of the spin etc. You can't do it on a front loader. I have to pick a pre-set and make it work. Lastly on the washer it ties everything into knots, arms and legs of clothes. Sheets are even worse.

As for the dryer, it ties everything into a ball and knots. Nothing dries because you have to untangle it in the middle of the cycle. I have to iron so much more then I ever needed to in the past.

I would give anything for just a basic top load washer and basic dryer. In fact, my husband and I have discussed it so many times. We want to sell what we have and go buy the basics. We just don't know how they will fit up the basement stairs. Although they got to the basement so they have to be able to come out.

As you can tell I am not a fan of the pretty looking front loaders and I didn't even get into the pedestal issue.

Hey there! So I don't know if you have looked into whether or not it's your heating element...they tend to be a common reason for dryers not heating. When my hubby was in the military and sent to the middle east our dryer stopped heating as well and living on an airmen's salary we couldn't afford a repairman. So I got a book about repairing dryers from a friend and pulled apart the dryer tested the element, bought a new element and replaced the old one. It was super simple. Now you being EXTREMELY handy if it is the element you should have no problem fixing it. Just use one of those ohm meters to check it. Hope this helps! Love your kitchen redo btw! If we were staying in this house i would totally do the bead board...LOVE IT!!!

I also recommend cleaning your lint filter with a toothbrush but with liquid dish soap and running water. Try running the water over it before and after you clean it. You'll be amazed at the difference. Make sure you clean the area just past the inside of the lint filter. Lots of fluff gets stuck in there, too!

Our dryer also recently died on us. It was probably at least 20 years old, so we didn't even bother calling a repairman. I would definitely look at the layout of your room before you go shopping. We went out immediately and bought a new one. Now that I have it home, I realize that the door opens in a way that I have to lean over the door and reach inside to get the clothes out! There is not room to stand in front of the open door as there is a wall there. Don't know if they sell the same brand with the door opening on the opposite side, too late now! Just something to think about, I wish I would have!

The doors screw off on the front loads and can be put on either way :) Just a couple of screws.

We got a set in January and love it. We gave our old ones to relatives who really needed them. My sister in laws dryer was taking for ever to dry also. She is a single mom with a ex who dosen't like to pay support often.

Our umbrella did the same thing on Saturday nite. Glass everywhere. I think my handy dandy husband is going to make a wood top for now and tile it to get us thru this season.

I have a front loader...first one...and I was SO excited about it!! Sadly, I have lost my enthusiasm for it. :o( We have an LG Tromm and it is the bomb-diggity (yeah I said it), or so it seems. But front loaders hold a nasty little secret...nasty. Because they are front loaders and the drum is on its side, they don't always drain the best like a top-loader would. I (and I'm not the only one, I've found) have to dry out around the seal of my washer every time I'm finished washing. I dry around the entire seal for the door and the inside of the door. If I don't, there is a nice, lovely, horrid musty smell that forms in my bomb-diggity washing machine. Some of the newer washers are supposed to have better drainage processes, but I have a friend who got a front loader 3 weeks ago and she's already having to dry it out. I don't dry it after every use if I'm doing several loads, but once I'm finished with the mass, I dry it out and leave the door open so it won't be stinky. Not a big deal, but not the most fun thing to do either. If you get one, hopefully you won't have to deal with drying it. I would definitely ask the salesperson about it. I am on the hunt for a nice, efficient top loader.

Do a lot of research before buying front loaders. We had a Whirlpool Duet for a year before replacing with our "old-fashioned" set that was sitting in the basement. We didn't have mildew (because we did all the no-brainer trouble-shooting stuff to solve issues), but we did have clothes that smelled despite the use of various different tablets to clean out the filter and machine. Towels, for example smelled like wet dogs. But the most frustrating thing is that all my whites turned gray and to no avail could I get them CLEAN. They did not look or smell clean. Why? these machines do not use enough water to actually get the grime out of clothes. Everyone was itching because it didn't even wash the soap out (despite very small amounts of soap used). They don't agitate, that's correct, but the machine does spin the living daylights out of your clothes until the they are in knots, esp. if you do the "big" loads they claim you can do. Service rep. told me to fill the washer less than half full to avoid this. What's the point? I wasn't doing any larger loads than I've ever done in any other "normal" machine. Gah! As well, the cycles run FOREVER. The steam cycle, for one, runs almost two hours!!! I could never get caught up on laundry. I wasn't all that impressed with the dryer either. I guess it depends on your standard of clean. My family missed clothes that smelled laundry fresh and were bright and soft. Our towels were getting crunchy. Sounds like too much soap, right? Nope. Washed them repeatedly with no soap to see if I had a residue in them, which could be removed. It did nothing to change the texture. My beautiful stack of fluffy white guest towels was gray, crisp, and smelly. Like a wet dog. In summary, these machines are all show and no go. Please research and then consider getting an update to the good old-fashioned ones, which btw, are so much easier and less expensive to repair.

LOVE our Whirlpool front loaders and yes, like many of your readers have said, you'll need to leave the washer door open just a bit and that will cure any mildew issues anyone has mentioned. I LOVE the effeciency and amount of clothes I can do in our washer/dryer set. It's also a breeze when you use clorox, dyes, detergent, etc. b/c it does all of the hard work for you. sorry to hear about all of your house woes. Hopefully they'll get better soon!

Ugh...bummer about the patio set. We had a strong wind actually knock ours over and shatter the entire glass top...which gave me an excuse to start Craigslisting for a new set. Which I found. For $75. Score.

I. Hate. Laundry. For all the same reasons you listed. But after reading all these comments, maybe I can give my dryer some added umph to get us through a couple more years. Good luck! Sorry about all the craziness at once. That's the way it goes with us too. Like you said, small things in the long run, but annoying right now! I HEART your blog! You are just such a great gal, and you always make your readers feel so good. Thanks for sharing all your wisdom, happiness, and ideas!

Hi! Sorry if this is an echo of another comment, you're so popular I didn't have time to read through the other comments. But, just wanted to give you a heads up that dryer fires are rather common and are caused by lint in the dryer hoses so it's recommended to clean them once a year and to clean out that dryer trap screen thing every load (use a dryer sheet if the lint is too thin). Since your dryer hose is so long, it's particularly important to clean it out since there's so many elbows in the hose that the lint can get stuck in. Sorry for being such a downer, but I would hate to have your beautiful home impacted by the dryer!

I have a front loader washer & dryer. I've had the mildew problem, even with leaving the door open. I cleaned the rubber seal with some bleach & it helped for a while, but it's back again. If I wash a pretty large load, especially jeans, they get twisted and balled up.

I love how big the inside of my dryer is, but I HATE how it balls everything up, like the washer. I shake the clothes out before putting them in the dryer hoping this will help, but it always doesn't. The lint catcher on ours is on the inside of the dryer. The handle sticks up just enough for anything with small straps to catch onto it. Once they're stuck the straps get twisted up so tightly they rip of. We've had several tanks with the spaghetti straps ripped off. My daugher has a shirt that tied in the back, at least it did until one of the strings got caught & ripped off. That type of stuff is hung up now. Maker sure the lint catcher isn't inside the dryer.

I'm late to the party, but I've been at a funeral out of state for 3 days. Seriously. For real. Stop laughing.

Moving on..... We recently bought a front loader washer and I love it so much I'd marry it if I could. Only me and my husband, no kiddles, but our laundry reproduces because I'm forever washing clothes. In fact, I did 2 loads of laundry tonight and we haven't been home for 3 days. Riddle me that one?

We have the Whirpool Duet (I forget which model and am too lazy/tired to get up and look). I bought the little storage thingy for underneath ONLY so it raised the washer up and I didn't need to bend my fat butt over to load the clothes in. :) We've never had a mildew issue; I leave the door open and also use a product call "Afresh" once a month.

Now I need to break my dryer so that I can buy the mate to my washer. Wish me luck. :)

Apparently I am in a whole class all to myself! I adore doing laundry!! I wake up every morning and skip down to the basement and put clothes and and pour just enough detergent and softer in and let it run! I have a front load washer and dryer and love. LOVE. LOOOVEEEE. them!!! I do not have a stinky mildew problem, that "rubber lip" they have I just take a rag, glob some bleach and wipe it down every 2 weeks or so or whenever i feel like it! I don't have an issue!

I'm actually one who likes laundry, but I only do my own; something cathartic about it ;) I would recommend the LG washer and dryer without hesitation. They are amazing and worth every cent. I've had mine for almost 3 years and the speed of use and water efficency is incredible. I've saved $100s of dollars in dry cleaning because I use the steam feature for all of my workware - wool suits, silk, everything! Evening eveningware is steamed to perfection with only a little iron touch up needed. Just look at them as investment pieces!

I have the Samsung front-load washer and dryer in Silver and love, love, love them!!! I make sure I leave the washer door open to help with the mildew problem and every so often (maybe 2x a year - and I wash about 7 loads of laundry a week) I will run an empty cycle on hot with lots of bleach. And, the dryer is almost always done BEFORE the washer! It's awesome!

I know that I am very late posting this (been out of town) but when we moved up here to Cincy, we went and bought a Samsung W & D and it is the front load kind. I think it is just like the one in the photo. Anyway, the washer spins the clothes so fast that they are really dry when you take them out and then you don't have to dry them so long. It really helped out lightbill. We would go and buy the cheapest dryer (when our other one broke) and now I know that that is not the thing to do. You really should buy both if you can afford to. One helps the other.

I think the same person who designed the concept of the washing machine taking a shorter time than the dryer also had the great idea to sell 10 turkey dogs and package buns in quantities of 8. I'm just thankful I don't have to do laundry on the old old school scrubbing board in the river like many women before my time!

I found this post in a roundabout way; I see that it's almost a year old, so I imagine that you've either resolved your dryer issues or set up a clothesline. :)

I was hoping to find that you'd discovered a model of dryer that FOLDS laundry. We may need a new one soon, and I'd be totally into one that does that.

You mentioned the life expectancy of washers and dryers. If I remember correctly (which is a HUGE "if"), we are on our third washer in 13 years. On the other hand, I believe this dryer is 13 years old and still running. (It's starting to make funny noises, but it still dries clothes.)